Overview
Welcome to January 2024, a month marked by significant astrological shifts that promise a period of clarity and spiritual growth. The month begins with Mercury resuming its direct motion on January 2nd. This shift is a gradual return to normalcy in communication and a reduction in anxiety, and Mercury regains its average speed over approximately ten days.
Another auspicious event is the direct motion of Jupiter in sidereal Aries, starting January 1st. This transition enhances Jupiter’s influence, accelerating our journey towards realizing our spiritual potential. The presence of Jupiter in Aries infuses us with optimism and drive.
The end of December set the stage for an important planetary alignment involving Venus, Mars, and Mercury, which continues into January. Venus entered sidereal Scorpio on December 24th, followed by Mars moving into sidereal Sagittarius on December 27th, and Mercury, in its retrograde phase, returned to Scorpio on December 29th.
The transit of Venus in Scorpio, a harmonious water sign, forms a trine with Neptune in Pisces, another benevolent water sign. This alignment, active through the first three weeks of January, invokes auspicious energies conducive to spiritual pursuits and emotional well-being. Mars’ entry into the fiery domain of Sagittarius, a sign it thrives in, is particularly favorable. This ingress is strengthened by Sagittarius’ ruler, Jupiter, making the Mars-Jupiter trine exceptionally potent and beneficial.
Lastly, Mercury’s retrograde transit from Sagittarius back into Scorpio minimizes the negative intensity of the retrograde Mercury. This movement suggests a decrease in the intensity of communication and logistical issues typically associated with Mercury retrograde.
Therefore, January 2023 offers us opportunities for spiritual exploration and personal growth, particularly for those seeking insights beyond the realm of logic.
Retrograde Mercury (Dec 13 – Jan 2)
On December 13, the planet Mercury became retrograde in sidereal Sagittarius. It remained retrograde in Sagittarius till December 28, then with its retrograde motion entered into Scorpio till it becomes direct on Jan 2.
Typically, retrograde Mercury means anxieties, communication breakdowns, unexpected delays, frustrations, missing deadlines, unforeseen obstacles, and disappointment in daily chores. Retrograde Mercury in Sagittarius means more frustrating periods for leaders in general, and particularly for those who are religious leaders, explorers, philosophers, and researchers. And that in Scorpio means more trying period for military personnel, politicians, athletes, terrorists, and people involved in secrecy and covert operations. This is the time not to start a new project or venture, but rather reflect on what’s been done so far. Also, this is the best time to clean up that closet and do other chores that you have been postponing due to lack of time.
In addition, if you have dominating Mercury in your birth chart and if Mercury is currently your active planet, then you are more likely to experience the pronounced effects of retrograde Mercury during this period with respect to matters signified by the house it’s currently transiting through in your transit chart.
Neptune in sidereal Pisces
Pisces being a water and mutable sign ruled by Jupiter some of its significant characteristics are: Divine, fruitful, fertile, emotional, honest, outspoken, religious, spiritual, nonviolent, polite, modest, moody, affectionate, hermit, psychic, water, compassion, love, heart connection, non-verbal communication, and introvert. These qualities complement very well with qualities of Neptune that include spiritual, intuitive, divine, psychic, magical, highly emotional, moody, clairvoyant, inspiration, imaginative, love, compassionate and mystical.
As a result, a subtle and slow change in our collective moral and spiritual perceptions has certainly been going to be manifested in a way we never experienced before. This era (next 13 years or so) will be remembered as the period of spiritual inspiration and transformation. Interestingly, this era also complements well with the era of Pluto’s transit in sidereal Capricorn (a sign ruled by spiritual Saturn) that runs in parallel during the same time. The way we have been used to deal with religions will no longer be our norms. Our moral codes will be greatly influenced by our collective spiritual experiences. And in that sense a subtle but most effective transformation of world morality during this unique era of the next 13 years is likely to take us to a level where the norms solely based on spiritual experiences will dictate and guide our lives with new level of understanding.
Pisces, being the sign for poets, musicians, singers, monks, religious leaders, spiritual leaders, nurses, nuns, social workers, caregivers, saints, psychics, actors, sailors and ship captains, these respective fields will go through significant transformations. And these transformations will be reflected in the new norms of morality and ethics, expansion of our collective psychic abilities and mystical experiences keeping in line with steady progress in our ability to directly perceive truth. Also, creativity in areas of music will likely complement our spiritual progress.
In scientific and technological areas, a lot of drastic changes and emerging new ideas coupled with mystical experiences will find their way into innovations and discoveries. However, it will be the first time scientific and technological research will be more focused in areas that will bridge the gap between the science and morality. The likely areas of research will be in spiritual healing, and life-force related activities, looking for ways to tap new sources of energy without disturbing global climate (recent news about the possibility of harnessing energy from nuclear fission and minimizing the usage of fossil fuels will very likely be materialized in next 13 years). A return to the holistic and Ayurvedic practices and alternate medicines are also very likely. The availability of inexpensive generic drugs for those who cannot afford the expensive brand name drugs is becoming reality. A new wave of philosophers and philanthropists with their new perspectives on living, in general, will certainly transform our world in the next 13 years with a new level of understanding of life.
However, with Rahu’s (the north lunar node) transit in sidereal Pisces, for next 15 months, Neptune’s positive energy is going to be countered by Rahu and stalled as new challenges emerge that must be dealt. In that sense, for a short-term Neptune’s downside is likely to become more significant than normal. On the downside, the religious leaders and social reformers may tend to form cults and spread cult like activities, rise in organized religion scandals, deceptive activities under the disguise of promise of spiritual experiences are likely to be on rise in certain parts of the world. The scandals of the secretive collaboration between the medical doctors and pharmaceutical industries will continue to be exposed. The increase usage of mind-altering drugs, disregard for social and to some extent moral responsibility, rise in mental disorders, and losing the touch with reality are some of the likely symptoms of the negative side of Neptune. One of the prominent fallouts of the Piscean Neptune will be a significant decline of authoritarian regime’s influence around the world. Russia, China, and other authoritarian regimes will continue to lose their hold as they face the forces of our collective spiritual transformation.
On individual level for those who have water sign (Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces) as their ascendant in their natal ninefold (Navamansh) chart should get ready for a brand new and long lasting (13 years) cycle of change, especially a very pronounced cycle for those who have Neptune as a dominant planet in their birth charts. The changes that might occur would be very subtle and would deal with new or renewed interest in spirituality, openness, psychic abilities to perceive truth, divine experiences, transformed perceptions and beliefs, and the way of living.
Russian-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas war and senseless killings
The intensity of Russian-Ukraine war has been steady at a remarkable speed with both sides incurring severe human tolls.
For Israel-Hamas war, it has been losing its momentum and continues to temporarily subside. However, it’s a perpetual conflict that is likely to be around for a long time unless there’s a spiritual awakening in that region of the world that transcends religion-based conflict.
As for the transiting planet’s interaction with his natal chart, the transiting Pluto continues to sextile his natal Sun and Venus, and opposes his natal Jupiter. Given the Sun’s current transit, it’s favorable till mid-January. But afterwards, politically it’s not so favorable for the rest of the month.
Thus, in summary, for him January looks to be somewhat favorable, especially the first half of the month as he finds courage to deal with situations around him and enjoys recognition, popularity, prestige, even feeling better health-wise and happy. But later in the second half of the month, he may have to deal with some health issues, unanticipated delays and disappointments, difficulties dealing with people in his administration as well as with democrats in Congress.
Global Insights…
The important challenging possibilities for January include:
Dec 6 – Jan 7: A unique change in the way the current US administration deals with other nations with respect to its war against democracies and with its domestic matters. There will be a transformation of political strategy that might become responsible for a change in the current political agenda, and foreign policy matters of this administration. Expect some serious issues that the current administration could get tangled with.
Jan 15-22: Likelihood of an eruption of new waves of violence in the Palestine-Israel region. In addition, world religions, in general and religious leaders in particular, may experience themselves having to go through some type of crisis that demands changes. The orthodox religious leaders may come under social and moral pressures to change the way they handle their responsibilities.
Jan 20-27: A rise in covert activities and natural as well as man-made calamities. Places like Russia and China are likely to experience political or social turmoil. Non-democratic countries are likely to see shift of power from one faction (or dictator) to another. Religious activities around the world will likely appear more secretive than open.
Jan 21 – Feb 1: Significant changes in religious, academic and to some extent in social fields.
Jan 28 – Feb 8: Likelihood of terrorist activities in the United States besides the volatile region of Israel-Palestine area. President Biden and his administration may end up taking extra precaution in dealing with foreign matters.
Jan 29-31: Natural and man-made calamities causing destruction and loss of lives.
Jan 30 – Feb 6: Economic turmoil in Russia and or China. Covert activities around the world may find a new momentum (but because of Neptune’s secretive character we may never know) regarding terrorism and other international conflicts.
The important auspicious possibilities for January include:
Jan 5-17: Spiritual, religious, academic, and social fields likely to experience positive changes.
Jan 20 – Feb 16: Time for extraordinary collective spiritual growth, technological discoveries, and inventions. Some new important technological breakthroughs during this period likely. For the United States, in general, it’s going to be a remarkable and successful period.
Jan 23-28: An expansion of religious activities all around the world with new vigor and energy. Conservatives in the United States may find ways to compromise with liberals on sticky issues. Democrats and Republicans may agree on more matters than the ones they disagree. This maybe a good time to get those lingering bills passed in U.S. Congress and Senates. China and Russia are likely to experience some mild setbacks in their foreign policies, especially the ones that deal with the United States.
Jan 24– Feb 19: Positive experiences religions and religious leaders around the world likely to enjoy. People will likely to be convinced of the importance of moral values and have no difficulty in maintaining their religious faith.
The countries that are more likely to be affected during this month are: Ukraine, Russia, China, Europe, Israeli and Palestine regions and the United States.
Planetary Energies for Individuals
Uranus-Jupiter ninefold trine (Jan 5-17)
This auspicious and inspirational ninefold trine of Jupiter with Uranus is excellent for academic, research-oriented knowledge seekers. In addition, this trine is good for all world religions as well as for people who are engaged in activities that help us expand morally, socially as well as materially.
For those who have well placed Jupiter and Uranus in their birth chart (conjunction, trine, sextile, opposition) are likely to have spiritual experiences during this period. People involved in spiritual and humanitarian activities are likely to experience a sudden boost in their daily activities, and religious authorities who are more open to new ideas and people’s concerns are going to be well recognized by societies.
Pluto-Rahu ninefold conjunction and Pluto-Ketu opposition (Jan 15-22)Rahu-Pluto conjunction occurs, on average, once every 16-17 years. Unless these planets are favorably placed in your birth chart, such opposition or squares between Pluto and lunar nodes, in general, means drastic changes (transformations) pertaining to aspects of your life described by the houses they belong to. Usually, such transformations are accompanied with severe pains if the energy of lunar node Rahu (or Ketu), and/or Pluto is active via your current Gochar (transit) chart. In my opinion, the best way to deal with this situation is to (which is not easy to do) accept it (the inevitable change), and move on with your life. There’s no point in brooding over it, and not letting your past go. Just believe that in a long run such changes are good for you.
Jagdish Maheshri
Professional Vedic Astrologer
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